Alex Fitch Snowboarder

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Saturday, August 24, 2013

On the 20th of August I had my first official training day for the NZ World Cup. It was pretty bad weather , with not much visibility and a fresh layer of snow. Our second training day was cancelled due to lack of visibility and high winds. Comp day came around and everybody was embracing for the worst but god had heard our prayers and it was a sick sunny , blue bird day with no wind. The pipe was running awesome and we had 40 minutes of practice. It was good to finally get some of my tricks done in practice cause it was pretty hard to do them on our practice day. It was competition time and I put down a safety run without my backside 540. I was looking good so I was thinking up a run that could get me into semi's with my coach. Unfortunatley on my second run I lost all my speed on my 3rd hit and didn't have enough speed or height to do anymore tricks. I was really happy with the way I rode with the circumstance we were all put in leading up into the competition.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Today was our first day off from training because the pipe is closed for the Ski World Cup. It was a nice day in Wanaka but Cardrona was on wind hold all day, so it was a good day to have a day off. I had a little sleep in then went out for breakfast with Amber and Biba, then we went to a cool little rest area around the lake and skipped rocks, made rock stacks and took heaps of photos for hours... we can home and hung out and just chilled for the rest of the day. Tomorrow is the opening ceremony and I am really excited cause we get free jet boat rides and i've never been on one of the thrill jet boat rides so it should be loads of fun. I will attach some photos from today!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

I have been here in New Zealand for 5 days now, and the weather is always completely unpredictable here. This whole week the visibility has been horrible, but everyone has been working through it in anticipation for the World Cup. Tomorrow will be our last day of training before our two official training days because the Ski World Cup is on. Lets hope I get some good training in before the Comp starts.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Last Night I went to the Donnica Clarke Foundation Fundraiser. It is an annual event and unfortunatley since I have been a scholarship holder I haven't been able to attend. Donnica Clarke was a inspirational young girl who loved sports and life but was tragically taken to early. The fundraiser helps athletes all over the Central Coast who are striving for big things. Last night was a fundraiser to raise money for the foundation so more athletes can receive grants. It was an amazing night, it was jungle themed. There was a fire breather/ dancer and a amazing band who played throughout the night. It was filled with auctions , speeches and lots of dancing. It was so much fun dancing to all the old classics my parents listen to and luckily made me listen to so I know all the words. I met all the other athletes and had an amazing night so thank you to Anthony and Kerrie Clarke and the rest of the crew from the Foundation for helping me and throughing such a special night.
If anyone wants to check out the Donnica Clarke Foundation or donate, the website is http://www.donnicaclarke.com.au/

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Hi guys,
It has been a long time since I have blogged and I am feeling pretty slack.
It is coming up to the Olympic Qualifying year so I thought I would fill you in as much as I can on the past season I just had in my first year in World Cups. I also will be blogging alot more from now on!

My first World Cup was in New Zealand, 2012 almost a year ago. There was a lot of weather days up at Cardrona but the show must always go on. I placed 27th in the first stop of the World Cup series in Cardrona.

I then moved over to America on the 23rd of November to my awesome Host families house that I had lived with in Vail for the past 2 years. I was training in Copper and Vail then headed back home for 10 days for christmas for the 1st time in 3 years which was very special, then jetted back. My second World Cup was in Copper Mountain, Colorado on the 12th of Janurary . It was good to not have to travel somewhere for this World Cup which made it easy because we trained there at the start of the season nearly every day.

Another week of training and then off to Stoneham, Canada on the 20th of January. Stoneham was one of the coolest cities I have ever been to with castles and old buildings and Jails. Do not be deceived though by how awesome it is in stoneham because it is the coldest place I have ever been to! The first day we trained it was so cold everyone competing got frost bite and had to go inside after 5 runs then the second day the pipe had gotten so cold it had manipulated the pipe. By comp day the pipe was an absolute ice rink , everyone was joking about how we should have bought ice skates and pretended like we were in the Red Bull series "Crashed Ice". Everyone was relieved after comp day was over because it was so cold and it ended up snowing so much there was 4ft of powder in the middle of the pipe. I placed 22nd in the World championships in Stoneham.

Back to America I went and had another 2 weeks of training then road tripped to Park City, Utah for the next World Cup. Park City was awesome, the pipe was amazing and the vibes were good. Even though I got a black eye as a souvenir I placed 25th.

Two weeks of training back in Vail then off to Sochi, Russia for the Olympic Test event. It was a very interesting trip because not much was finished in the olympic village. I had a very sore hip and the Australian Olympic Doctor and Olympic Physio thought there might be wrong but I pushed through the pain and talked to the Doctors back in Vail to book an appointment. With very challenging pipe conditions we only got about one hour of training all up ( but thats why its the test event to find out what they do wrong and right) I placed 31st.

Back to the states for another two 2 weeks then off to Sierra Nevada, Spain. Alot of trouble finding accommodation and alot of fog our first training day came. Little did Steph ( Australian Team mate) and I know that training had been called off before we caught the second chairlift up do to extreme fog. Steph and I ended up completely lost in the spanish mountains in the out of bounds area. We were lost for 9 hours, lucky stephs Australian phone worked and we were able to get ahold of another team mate or no one would have known we were missing. We were found at 9:30 at night and we were ready to camp out in the wilderness 'bear grylls style' Thanks to the Sierra Nevada Rescue Team , Elijah Teter, Brady Mcneill and Kelly Marren for all there help! We got to train the next day but it was also fogging (we stayed very close to everyone else) Comp day was just as bad and alot of other people got lost ( not as bad as us though) it looked like it was going to be called off but just before they did the fog cleared completely over the pipe. It was an awesome day and everyone was pumped to finally ride. I placed 14th , which was my best result so far.

I spent the rest of the season taking it easy because I was told I had a labral tear in my hip but I found out when I got I actually didn't so abit of rehab and I am good as new and ready to ride in New Zealand!
Get ready for my next post soon :)

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Hey guys here is a link to my athlete facebook page, It would be great for you guys to like it :) It has all my media interviews that I have found so far so check it out, I will also be doing weekly updates :)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Alex Fitch has made history today as Australia’s first ever Winter Youth Olympic medallist after pulling off a fantastic performance in the women’s snowboard slopestyle final to win bronze.
“It’s amazing!” Fitch said of her Innsbruck 2012 medal performance. “I’m so proud. It is so good to finally get on the podium and represent Australia.”
Fitch, who was fourth in halfpipe four days ago, qualified in third for the final, after completing two solid runs to get a best score of 77.75. Slopestyle is a new event where athletes ride through a course and perform tricks on rails and off jumps. The judges score both runs and the top score counts.
As the wind picked up between qualifiers and finals, conditions at the slopestyle course closed in with light rain falling and visibility worsening.
Fitch was third-last to drop into the course and pulled off a near-flawless run. She put together a combination of well-formed easier tricks at the top with a 50-50 on the first rail and a tail grab off the first jump.
With a horde of Australian fans scattered up the sides of the course, including nearly all of the athletes who have finished competition, Fitch powered down the remaining rails and jumps to huge applause.
“It was an ideal run,” Fitch said. “I got my jumps down and it felt great.”
On a score of 69.75, Fitch was in third position after the first run.
With medals at stake, the 16-year-old rider from the New South Wales central coast prepared to ramp up her tricks for the second run. Unfortunately though, she couldn’t perfect them as she would have liked.
Pulling a front 360 off the first jump, Fitch couldn’t quite get the trick down and stick the landing which lost her speed, causing her to miss the second jump and get a score of 42.50.
“I didn’t land my second run, but that’s what happens. I still got a bronze medal so I am stoked!”
With the top two ladies still to ride, Fitch was in third position from her first run score – and the medal was assured.
Canadian Audrey McManiman had nothing to lose on her second run, with the top of the podium locked in following her 84.25 first run. Her second run was also impressive with a 62.75 confirm ing her as the well deserving gold medallist.
With a score of 71.75 the silver medal went to the USA’s Arielle Gold, one of Fitch’s good friends in the snowboarding circuit who she sometimes trains with in Colorado.
The bronze on Thursday at Kuhtai Resort, an hour west of Innsbruck, continues Australia’s remarkable run of winter success.
Australia has medalled at the past five senior Winter Olympic Games.
Bright is one of Fitch’s heroes. She has also done a few dry land sessions with the News South Wales Institute of Sport squad that includes current halfpipe world champions Holly Crawford and Nate Johnstone.
It could be only two years before Fitch joins her idols on a senior Olympic Team. Slopestyle is one of the new events on the program for Sochi 2014.

Fitch was presented with the Innsbruck 2012 mascot, Yoggl, at the venue and will receive her bronze at a ceremony in the Medal Plaza at downtown Innsbruck on Friday evening (Saturday am in Australia
Alice Wheeler and Andrew Reid

Monday, January 16, 2012

Pretty Happy with my result 4th in Final for Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck.

I would like to thank my coach Ben Boyd, The AOC, IOC, Chief de Mission Alissa Camplin, Ramone Cooper and all the AOC support team and everyone who has supported me including Wyong & Gosford Council and The Amelia McGuiness Foundation. The Youth Olympics are awesome and I am so appreciative of this opportunity!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Hey people,
Just 3 days now till I leave for Germany then Austria for the Youth Olympic Games.. It has come so quick and the last few weeks has been some intense training but hopefully I will be fully ready for such a great experience to come...

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Hey all,
Been a while since I've blogged. A few things have happened since then.
Last week was Copper Mountain Rev Tour. I unfortunately fell in my pipe run and in my slope style run. I didn't mind too much in slope style because I had only 1 day of training slope the day before. I was just glad I did my first 360's for the season in comp. I went into some back to basic training to help me get everything back to normal. I am almost ready for Youth Olympics and hopefully in these next couple of weeks it will bring me to where I want to be in my snowboarding. It is Christmas Day right now and I am spending it with my host family. I have had a great day so far. Just 19 days to go! :)

Alex Fitch

at Junior World Championships 2011

Jnr World Championships Italy

Alex Fitch - Halfpipe

Bio

I am a female snowboarder who is 18 year young & live on the Central Coast of NSW Australia. I tried snowboarding for the first time when I was 8 years old and did my first season when I was 13. I won my first snowboard competition when I was 11 years old. when I train with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail with my coaches Ben Boyd and Elijah Teter. I am aiming and on the Qualifying tour for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games for Snowboard Halfpipe. You can Follow what I am up to on this blog as I travel the world for training, competitions and fun times.

Thank You

Many thanks to the following;

Many thanks to the following sponsors andsupporters;"Betty Rides" for the outerwear that I love. NSWIS for the Silver scholarship and all the support staff that assist us. Uncle Pete and Mel for helping me so much with my flights. The Aim For The Stars Foundation (Layne Beachley) for the grant. The Donnica Clark Foundation for their grant. The Amelia McGuiness Foundaton, for a grant. Central Coast Combined Councils- (Gosford and Wyong) for their grant. I have also had lots of support from the Marks & Komorr families specifically. Also thanks to my family, friends, Soldiers Beach Surf Club & Lakes Grammar School for their support.Thanks to my coaches Boyde and Elijah and all my coaches that have been with me and got me to where I am today "TSC" - Jarrod , Christine and crew, ISTC - Clarke, Baffy from "Fastride" Mark and of course Sav.Thanks also to all of the NSWIS staff and coaches and after the Youth Olympic Games I have to say thank you so much to the AOC and all the support staff. Lastly thanks to my brothers Andrew and Aaron for being the spark to start snowboarding , for making me keep up with you guys, letting me never give up and the support and knowledge you give. Lastly Mum & Dad for providing me with the endless possibilities in my life, funds to help me with my snowboarding and your love and support for making me who I am.And Team AXLE:) you know who you are.